i am NOT an anteater!: December 2022

Where to start... I wrote the draft for this post after publishing Pt One and Part Two (see end of post for links) in July. I had intended it to follow those in a decent time frame, obviously that didn't happen. I got involved in a passion project, rescuing and finding a new home for two Animals in need. Everything has turned out beyond wonderful for my two friends, who are now living their best lives out of the wild and in a Sanctuary.

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If you've been following my blog, you know that I've been more inconsistent than ever with posts over the past year. So, this post might be alot of back-story information. I have noted some things along the way, since much of the back-story info has been a source of irritation. Some of that has been resolved, some is still unknown. So as I edit the original, and try to make it also reflect current, there are still valid curiosities to note, so I'm going to include them.

I started this post many months before Akobi (Pygmy Hippo) arrived. My lead-in was this... "If there was one thing I could do right now, it would be to stop the insanity, that is the Pygmy Hippo situation. I just hope someone comes to their senses before they arrive, and the right thing is done."

You might be wondering, What right thing is she talking about? Plain and simple. Renovate the existing Hippo enclosure to accommodate Pygmy Hippos.

Now that Akobi is here, we know that the existing Hippo enclosure has been renovated. For those who haven't been to the Zoo, I was out there a couple weeks after his arrival and took this video. seen an overview and review of the enclosure, you can view it here:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DxXNqGfe0go

You might be wondering, What I meant by the previous, wonder of, Where else would they put the Pygmy Hippo? Surely by now, you all know, anything is possible under the orders of our San Francisco Zoo Director Tanya Peterson. While not the only fail during her reign, you only have to examine the Orangutan fiasco to know that. So, in the case of the Pygmy Hippo, while not part of the original plan for the Madagascar exhibit, the plan I first heard a year ago, was that they would now be building an enclosure for the Hippo there. Poof, mind blown! Seriously, I can't even with this.

Now, who knows if that is still the plan. The complete outrageousness of the Zoo acquiring Pygmy Hippo(s) and not planning for them to permanently inhabit the existing Hippo enclosure is mind-boggling at the very least. It's another curious decision for our Zoo, that in my opinion is a fail that will disrupt the landscape of the Zoo.

When I first heard about this, I immediately thought three things... Ummm, Hippos aren't going in the Hippo enclosure? ... First of all, Pygmy Hippo's aren't from Madagascar. ... And if Pygmy Hippos are going in Madagascar, it's very valid to question, What happened to what was originally going there? You know, THE reason for displacing five Primate species, and having a huge pit just sitting there for four years. Oh, and spending money to rent a fence around that area for a good portion of those four years. All the later will be detailed in my MAD about Madagascar post, next up after this. So, let's concentrate on the existing Hippo enclosure and where Pygmy Hippos are actually from.

In early 2020, when I first heard about Tucker (River Hippo) leaving, that came with the crazy notion of getting rid of the Hippo enclosure. I was pissed at this. Again, I have no idea what the current plan is. That exhibit area has always been a Hippo enclosure, at least for the last fifty years. The longtime Hippos residents, Cuddles and Puddle, came to the Zoo in 1963 and 1964 respectively. I'm not exactly sure what year this enclosure was built, but I think it was a decent time frame post their arrival. While it's been mandated that our Hippo poll is too small for another River Hippo, it's not for a Pygmy Hippo and putting it anywhere else seemed nonsensical.

Allegedly the thought (plan?) was to re-route the path by the Snow Leopard expansion, because they wanted to expand Black Rhino east (into Hippo), to accommodate a female and future breeding. To me this would be a fail. For one, the existing Hippo pool was renovated twelve years ago and is fine to use for another smaller water species, like Pygmy Hippos, or Tapirs. Thinking of future adds to the Animal Collection, When could we ever build another enclosure like this? Another reason why I hated that they cemented in the Sea Lion Pool. Anyway, I digress. With Director Peterson crying poor for everything that is not in her or the Zoological Society Members WANTS, the answer is most likely never.

Second, in regards to the alleged Black Rhino plan, there is a huge area where the previous female Black Rhino lived, and there is plenty of space going west that is not used by Bongo's and the space where the Bongo's are currently that could be used for such a plan. Bongo's could easily be moved into a space in the closed off south gate area, where several species of Hoofstock used to live. And then they could add a couple other Hoofstock species to rejuvenate that area with collection Animals. That is what would be best, but we also have to consider other craziness that I've heard and documented, in relation to that. That being, the alleged fantasy that they will build a brand new Big Cat enclosure where Bongo's are. Good Grief, it's not only ridiculous, where is that money coming from? We must remember the whole Orangutan no money for anything, crying poor song, that has been on loop for many Animal needs for years.

So, who knows what whack plans are rattling around in Director Peterson's head. Moving on to my curiosity about the housing of the Pygmy Hippo, knowing that if he was eventually going to Madagascar, I wondered what temporary set-up he would get. Remember, the Orangutans were kept in caged tubes for the most part of eight months. So, that proves, anything is possible.

Soon after Tucker left, I noticed and noted that I had seen plywood boards going up, and presumed they were for quarantine purposes. Nothing seemingly changed for almost a year, so I assumed the plywood was it. That was all the budget was allowing for. Thankfully, it was not. I was imagining the poor little guy, leaving his Mama for the first time, and having only plywood to stare at.

Then about a month before his arrival, I saw what the plan was with plexiglass and thought it was great. Only thing was there were only two panels of plexi and on opposite sides. I couldn't figure out this thought process and made a video about it, but never got to uploading. In it I questioned why there weren't additional panels connected to create a wall of clear for him to look out.

As you've seen, that has all been sorted. Someone there must have mind melded with me, because the exact two that are now plexi, were two of the ones I noted should be plexi.

As noted in the video shared at the top of this post, I'm extremely happy with the outcome of this enclosure. Even if it's temporary, at least it's decent. Only thing I am curious about is the pool. Wondering whether it could be cemented up to make it permanently more shallow, or even if that would be something that would enhance the habitat for him.

So, back to the alleged craziness of building a Pygmy Hippo enclosure within the MAD project. My initial reaction to that was What?!!! Pygmy Hippos aren't even from Madagascar! I allegedly heard that some staff was told that they were and this was displaying a species on the brink of extinction there. Seriously, if this is true, what kind of illusion is being spun with this? Madagascar did have native Hippos, but they were not the Pygmy Hippos of today. They were Dwarf Hippos, also called Malagasy Hippo, even Malagasy Pygmy Hippo. They looked more like miniature River Hippos and have been extinct for some time now. I read varying reports, that spanned up to 1000 yrs.

The modern day Pygmy Hippopotamuses that are part of the current Zoo populations, are endemic to West Africa. They only occur in four countries: Liberia, Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone, and Guinea. Over 4000 miles from Madagascar. So trying to say they come from Madagascar is outrageous.

I'm all for providing the best homes for the Animals. My comments and thoughts are in no way about denying the Pygmy Hippo the best home possible. I think if we hadn't lost the majority of our Monkey species, for the Madagascar project, and if the original project plan included Pygmy Hippos, and if the project didn't create such an eye sore and disruption for four years, my reaction might have been different about the Pygmy Hippo being part of Madagascar, but it all just seems so random, illogical, and desperate (to fill that pit) that I just don't know. If the Pygmy Hippo does eventually go there, the existing Hippo enclosure needs to be saved and occupied. By Tapirs I hope. Demolishing it would be a huge fail.

Early on, not knowing what effort would take place, based on funds allocated for a Hippo renovation, my original post had me ranting a bit once again on the lack of fundraising from our Zoo. ... If the Zoo had created excitement about the Pygmy Hippo when they first knew about the acquisition a year ago, and started a fundraiser that would have helped with these renovations, that would have brought in necessary funds, and allowing the use of the funds that were used to be used for other needs, like my broken record of finishing the Flamingo netting, and installing netting over Meerkats and Prairie Dogs.

Several months ago I came across this effort by the John Ball Zoo. Coincidentially it is for Pygmy Hippos. Not only did they have a sandwich board effort at exhibit area, they have webpages about the Campaign and tons of media awareness. That said, for something like this to be fully optimized, there needs to be a Community that cares. Unfortunately Inhave seen no evidence of effort in fifteen yrs, to build one for our Zoo. So lacking that and no creativity or ambition to fundraise, SFZoo fails to help itself and most importantly, the Animals that live there.

There was alot of work done pre and post AZA inspections. It is a sore point to see this catch-up every five years when accreditation comes around. If there was constant fundraising, these necessities could be done as needed. That said, they sure found funds to get these things done, yet, and yes I go back to the Orangutan situation because that has been really upsetting. Additionally, they have spent thousands of dollars to build gardens everywhere. I have long had an issue with this use of funds. This has nothing to do with the talent of their creator, but soley with the outrageous expense, when Director Peterson crying poor for Animal needs for near fifteen years. I'm especially bothered by the garden built to distract from how awful the Orangutan home is, and that there's an elaborate build at a side entrance allegedly only for use by specific people. Those funds could have been used for the Orangutans, and the Hippo area. Not to mention finally building the home the Andean Condors were supposed to have years ago.

I understand Gardens is part of the Zoo name, but it seems Director Peterson has forgotten that the Zoo is an Animal Care Facility.

i am NOT an anteater!

Saturday, December 10, 2022

What's Happening At (To?) Our Zoo - Pt Three - Pygmy Hippo Edition